Your horoscope for February 21 to 27, 2013

Saturn, which is now travelling retrograde, requires that we place priority on the pressure points of our personal lives and outer-world realities. Are we ruling it or is it ruling us? The pope has made his choice.

As of Monday, when Venus moves forward, we will have six planets in Pisces. This is an influence of iconic moments, potentials, and passages. We can source from the loving and the inspirational, or we may experience great loss and disillusionment. In addition to water, Pisces is the main significator for oil. If politicians, lawmakers, and corporate giants heeded what astrologers, scientists, and environmentalists know, they’d immediately nix the Keystone XL pipeline and hustle tout de suite on green energy initiatives.

Mercury in Pisces begins retrograde on Saturday at 1:41 a.m. Through March 17, prioritize safety and security at all levels. This retrograde transit increases exposure, vulnerability, confusion, uncertainty, theft, forgetfulness, responsiveness, and sensitivity. Stay vigilant for leaks, plumbing problems, et cetera, and keep closer track of your stuff. Physical, emotional, or financial immunity can be challenged. Escaping through movies, music, art, vacationing, or spiritual pursuits can be a good prescription, but going with avoidance, denial, drugs, or alcohol may lead to self-undoing or even tragedy.

Monday’s full moon in Virgo is accompanied by Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury. Expect something major to unravel, be stirred up, and/or hit all at once. Watch for a large-scale event, trend, dispute, protest, contest, announcement, accident, market correction, et cetera.

AriesMarch 19 - April 19

Choose to minimize outside distractions and Mercury retrograde could prove to be a productive regrouping cycle. Prioritize a creative project, studies, or spiritual replenishment, and/or allow more time to heal, repair, replenish, and prepare. A budget review is wise now too. Monday’s full moon can reopen a wound or an unfinished dialogue, or offer an opportunity to make an important correction, save, or breakthrough.

TaurusApril 19 - May 20

While the budding potentials could deliver a higher rate of return, Pisces stars keep the question mark in place for now. Over the next few weeks, Mercury retrograde will fill in most of the blanks. Monday/Tuesday kicks things off big-time; play it to your advantage. What is lost or swept away simply clears the deck for something new.

GeminiMay 20 - June 20

Ample control, reward, or the right opportunity may have escaped you thus far, but don’t give up hope—have patience instead. Mercury retrograde draws added attention to losses, but more importantly it’s a corrective staging cycle. Monday’s full moon calls you to task, perhaps unexpectedly so. Take things one step at a time. Once the dust settles, you’ll see you’ve made a gain.

CancerJune 20 - July 22

Tomorrow is an unknown quantity. Once Mercury retrograde begins, moment to moment becomes major guesswork too. The stars want you to reclaim faith in your sense of being deserving of all good things. Sometimes this happens best through grace, and sometimes through the contrast of crisis or loss; Monday’s at-you full moon could go either way. Take the help, ask for more. Drive safely.

LeoJuly 22 - August 22

If it’s precious to you, make sure it’s especially well looked after. Protect your investments, property, valuables, health, heart, and loved ones. Mercury retrograde will target you where you’re most weak and vulnerable. Monday’s full moon could surprise you with added complexity, loss, or cost. On the other hand, there’s opportunity to correct, fix, heal, or gain more for less.

VirgoAugust 22 - September 22

Six planets in Pisces now stoke your social, public, and romantic life. Embrace the gift, stay hopeful and openhearted, but don’t bank solely on the appearance, the hype, or the promise. Mercury retrograde and Monday’s out-of-the-blue full moon can hit you when you least expect it. Fast action, an immediate response, or a quick save are your best plays.

LibraSeptember 22 - October 22

Health and safety are the most important things to safeguard through Mercury’s retrograde cycle. Your work and material well-being run a close second. You can be especially susceptible to bugs, drugs, and alcohol. You’re also vulnerable to floods, spills, security leaks, blind spots, a misread, or a misdiagnosis. Heed early warning signs, check your oil, guard your pets, and don’t divulge more than is necessary.

ScorpioOctober 22 - November 21

Pisces stars now light up the best part of your chart. Mercury retrograde is great for revisits and revisions. You’ll pick up whatever you missed on the first pass. Saturday through Tuesday, emotional, inspirational, or creative floodgates will open. Another’s loss, cancellation, disclosure, or misstep can be your gain. As well, Monday’s full moon could see you make a timely or last-minute save.

Sagittarius November 21 - December 21

You may want to hide out or check out for a while, but Mercury retrograde knows your number. Stay vigilant for potential trouble spots or troublemakers, especially regarding home, family, career matters, health, or dealings with authority. What may look minor, innocent, or simple can be deceiving; there may be a lot more to it. Monday’s full-moon pileup or unload could take you by surprise.

CapricornDecember 21 - January 20

Mercury retrograde is best used for creative enterprise, soul searching, marketing revisions, and reconnecting with folks you’ve lost track of. Keep closer tabs on your driving, your things, your health, and your heart. You can easily misunderstand, misread, overspend, or overindulge. Monday’s reality check sparks more questions, work, and review, as well as alternate considerations and a significant release or off-load.

AquariusJanuary 20 - February 18

Along with your budding prospects, a new consciousness is emerging. Still, there’s a lot more to know and to grow. Mercury retrograde can increase doubt, confusion, questioning, or loss, but its true purpose is to qualify what and who is of ultimate benefit and value. Monday prompts an unexpected rescue mission, repair, expense, bargain, or saving grace.

PiscesFebruary 18 - March 19

You have more going for you than you are fully aware of. Your strength, creativity, staying power, and willpower can be put to a challenge while Mercury travels retrograde, but know that the stars are in your camp. Monday’s second-chance full moon provides you with an opportunity to revisit, resume, correct, improve, salvage, or cut loose.